Instructor presence involves an instructor's active engagement, communication, and facilitation of the course. Your active participation in your class can help build a sense of community, establish a rapport with your students, and set a positive tone for the course. 

Canvas Best Practices for Building Online Presence & Community

By implementing these strategies in Canvas, you can establish a strong online presence, build a sense of community, and create a supportive learning environment that enhances student engagement and success in your class.

Send a Welcome Announcement: Send out a warm and welcoming Announcement at the beginning of the semester. Introduce yourself, share your teaching philosophy, and express your enthusiasm for the course. This sets a positive tone and makes students feel more connected to the instructor from the start.

Create a Welcome Discussion: Set up a Canvas Discussion where students can introduce themselves. Encourage them to share their interests, academic goals, and any relevant background information. Respond to each student's introduction to show that you are actively engaged and interested in getting to know them. 

Create a Student Questions & Answers Discussion: Create a Discussion area at the top of your class where students can post questions about class technology, Assignments, etc., to the class. Make sure to reply to the questions in a timely manner, and also encourage other students to answer questions posted in the Discussion.

Personalize Communication: Address students by their names in your interactions. This simple act can make the online environment feel more personal and supportive.

Participate Actively in Discussions: Engage in Discussions regularly, pose thought-provoking questions, and encourage student participation. Acknowledge their contributions, provide feedback, and facilitate conversations between students to foster a sense of community. Periodically summarize and reflect on the main points discussed in the online Discussions. This demonstrates that you value student contributions and are actively engaged in the learning process.

Hold Virtual Office Hours with Zoom - This provides an opportunity for students to have one-on-one interactions with you, seek clarification on course content, and build a stronger connection.

Provide Timely and Constructive Feedback with SpeedGrader: Regularly review and provide feedback on Assignments, Quizzes, and other assessments. Prompt feedback demonstrates your active involvement in their learning progress and helps students stay on track.

Record weekly video announcements with the Canvas Media Recorder:  Help orient your students to the week and make your course more engaging by recording a short video each week. The following is an example of what your video could cover: 

• Start by giving students encouragement and reminders.
• Briefly talk about the previous week
• Discuss details of this week's assignments and give answers to questions about the assignments that students have asked in the past.

Send Reminders and Updates Through the Canvas Inbox or Announcements: Send out timely reminders about upcoming Assignments, Quizzes, and important dates. Regularly update the course content based on current events or relevant developments in the field.

Organize Group Projects or Collaborative Assignments with Canvas Groups: Group Assignments can encourage teamwork and foster peer interactions. Actively participate in Group Discussions and offer guidance as needed.

Additional Resources

• How to Establish a Strong Community in an Online Course
• Cultivating Community Building in Online Learning Environments